Microsoft is planning to change its process of developing secure software. The current Security Development License (SDL), widely used at Microsoft will now be available under a Creative Commons License. This makes it easier for developers to integrate SDL into their products and for other users to use and distribute these products and the license. SDL is described as,

The Microsoft SDL is a security assurance process that is focused on software development. It is a collection of mandatory security activities, grouped by the phases of the traditional software development life cycle (SDLC). Combining a holistic and practical approach, the SDL introduces security and privacy throughout all phases of the development process with the goal of protecting end-users.

The SDL License will now be free from the earlier exclusive Microsoft license by virtue of which, will see more number of standard software out in the market. SDL is strictly followed by Microsoft itself from Windows Vista onwards. Many other papers from the SDL portal will also receive this update as pointed out by David Ladd, the Principal Security Program Manager at Microsoft.

SDL was proposed by Bill Gates in 2002 and this has held up for the last eight years. After these eight years, Microsoft has felt that it should share this standard with the world and has taken the right decision in doing so.

Chinmoy Kanjilal is a FOSS enthusiast and evangelist. He is passionate about Android. Security exploits turn him on and he loves to tinker with computer networks. He rants occasionally at Techarraz.com. You can connect with him on Twitter @ckandroid.